RN: Traci Hedlund
Age: 34
Occupation: Cashier at HGM Bargain Center, Computer Tutor at Solomon Learning Center, Bookkeeper for Arthur Murray Dance Studio, and Raising four children.
BoE Community Involvement
I originally showed up in August 2003 after getting hooked on a demo for the Exile Trilogy and BoE on a CD I got for Christmas. I didn't stay too long though. Once I beat all the demos I disappeared for about six months.
The family computer crashed and I took it upon myself to reinstall all our software. When I got to the BoE CD I remembered what fun it was and that there were lots of scenarios online that I hadn't played yet. So I came back, got interested in making my own scenario and set up a website to show off my graphics.
I started playing scenarios and found some puzzles I couldn't solve. I asked questions on the boards and got no answer. This sparked my motivation for the addition to my website; the Comprehensive BoE Walkthrough database. I renamed my site TrueSite for Blades in honor of the little used Mage spell that gives you just a little extra peek of what's going on around you.
After many updates, TrueSite has a download for every found scenario and a link to their CSR page. When I thought I'd participate in the Pearl Contest, I started a new scenario and went looking for good custom graphics for it. I found myself getting more interested in the graphics then I was in making the scenario and I downloaded every graphic I could find putting them into a personal MySQL database for myself. When Khoth's Archive went offline, and people started asking for graphics, I decided I'd make my own archive. One website upgrade, 100 web pages, and over 3700 graphics later Pixle Profusion was ready in time for Christmas '05. Since then, I've incorporated almost all of the graphics ever used in BoE scenarios (using my best judgement to omit a few) making it the biggest and most comprehensive BoE graphics archive ever.
I have made one utility scenario, Sound Showcase, which allows you to listen to all the sounds available in the game and also create your own sound string. I really made it for myself so I wouldn't have to open my game in the editor, create a chain of sound nodes, exit the editor, open the game and play through to where I placed my sound string just to hear if it's what I really wanted or not. It's a little bit confusing to learn to use, but to me it's a whole lot easier when trying to incorporate good sounds into your scenario. Something that I think most scenarios lack.
I had one scenarios in the fire right now, The King's Favorite. It was supposed to be an entry into the Pearl Contest of '06 but my ambitions for the scenario and lack of motivation to work on it, caused it to miss the deadline. A disagreement on which files Carbonite.com backed up and a lack of determination to make sure I had another backup in hand lost the scenario file during a harddrive wipe. My goal is still to get it done. I have no idea how long it will take me. I set no more dates, it will happen when it happens, but it will happen. Perhaps when I retire and have to make my own engine for it because technology has rendered BoE and BoA unusable.
Redwall, which is based on a novel by Brian Jacques of the same name, has been released. In order to clear it from my plate, I turned it into a prologue and just a sliver of what the whole story was supposed to be. Thus it didn't rate well but at least it's done. I may or may not finish the story since at this time I desire more to tell my own story then to retell someone elses.
I also have taken it upon myself to help Brett get all scenarios available into Alexandria. It's mostly up to date and it looks great thanks to many others besides myself.
I have beta tested Fort Emerald Robbery, Future 2.0, Nephil's Defense, and The Foolish Giant.
Oh, yeah. And I got my BSIT-SE degree. I'm all learned and stuffs.
Home Life
As of December '13 my oldest daughter Ashley is doing well in high school. She's almost taller than me... and people are mistaking her for my sister. That's a good thing, right? My second child Bethany is doing well in eighth grade. She has turned out to be an avid Doctor Who fan. I couldn't be happier. :) Number three is Corey in sixth grade. Typical of most pre-teens, he doesn't want to do his homework. Luckily he's smart enough to still pass the classes. Maybe too smart. He was bumped up into advanced math and science this year. If he keeps it above a B he won't have to redo it. My fourth child Dylan is in fourth grade. He doesn't like homework either but more because he'd rather be building with his legos. I think he might just be an engineer when he grows up because some of the things he builds now are beyond my comprehension. He's taken to spending his money on Technic pieces so his inventions move. They're spendy but much better than candy or video games so I'm all for it.
Hubby is excelling in his full time position at Hope Gospel Mission. They bumped him up to Program Director, which has been a bit stressful, but his innovation has seen a lot of good changes in the direction of the program. He's taken on volunteer firefighting and EMT work to relax... I know, right? And after I got my degree he decided he kinda wanted one too so he's currently taking his first class towards an associates in psychology. I'm so proud of him.
Finally, big hugs all around. Life would be quite boring without you.